Lady Stars get six runs in last frame; stun Patriots, 11-10

April 2, 2013

DOWN AND READYâ€”South Adams pitcher, Alyssa Bluhm (near) delivers a strike to a Jay County batter, while senior third baseman Alexis Ford prepares for a potential play. (Photo by Dylan Malone)

By

Dylan Malone

It took six and a half innings to get the hits to fall but finally, after trailing 10-5 to begin the bottom of the seventh, the Lady Starfires managed to find the holes.
South Adams put up a miraculous six on the scoreboard to shock the Jay County Patriots, 11-10 in their home opener on Tuesday night.
Down five runs heading into their last three outs, South Adams seemed all but finished but Lauren Smith started off the epic comeback by reaching first on a throwing error by relief pitcher, Abbey Vance.
After another grounder back to the pitcher, this one an out, Rachel Hirschy belted her third single of the game, then Alexis Ford was awarded first base when she was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Suddenly with life, junior Reba Morehouse stroked her second double of the game, a rope down the right field line, the same spot her double in the fourth was located and the Starfires were down by just three runs at 10-7.
South Adams coach Jessie O'Dell praised the play of his junior who came off the bench to play first in the fourth inning, "She has the capability of hitting like that. She is a great baserunner too and understands the situation well. She's one of the players fighting for a spot in this lineup and she made a pretty good case tonight with the bat."
The next batter, freshman catcher Maddie Morgan, ripped a single that scored Ford from third. After a ground out made it two outs, Brandy Rogers hit a hot shot to third base that was fielded cleanly by junior Chelsea Tighe but was bobbled on the transfer and Rogers was safe at first with Morehouse scoring from third on the error keeping the Stars alive and the tying run, Morgan, on third base.
South Adams' lead-off hitter, junior Alyssa Bluhm, stepped up next in a position that coach O'Dell noted he, "couldn't have picked a better player for."
Bluhm did not disappoint as she stroked a line shot back up the middle scoring Morgan to tie the game at 10-10.
Taking advantage of a nonchalant throw in from centerfield, Rogers rounded second base and tried to stretch all the way to third. The throw from the second baseman bounced off of Rogers' helmet and landed near the Starfires dugout on the third base side. An alert Rogers leapt up from her slide and made a bee-line for home where she beat out an errant throw for a wild victory for South Adams.